Calling All Medical Students: Be Involved in Your Future!

Emmett Whitaker, President
Cheri A. Camacho

xciting things are happening in the world of anesthesiology, especially if you are a medical student interested in the field. Thanks to the inspiration and generous support of ASA President Roger W. Litwiller, M.D., ASA’s role in supporting education, research and health care delivery may now be expanded to include those medical students interested in anesthesiology. Following an encounter with the President during a medical student luncheon at last year’s Postgraduate Assembly (PGA) in New York, the idea of a “medical student delegation” within ASA came to life.

ASA was founded in 1905 when a group of Long Island physicians organized the first professional anesthesiology society. It has since expanded to provide service and support to more than 39,000 members. ASA is governed by its House of Delegates, and contained within the House are several sections, including the Resident Component. The “Medical Student Delegation,” if successfully launched, will be contained within the Resident Component.

Since that time, we have come quite a long way. The nascent idea that was discussed at the PGA has blossomed and is nearing reality (pending a resolution being presented to the ASA Board of Directors this month). Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of ASA, medical students will be offered the opportunity to become more actively involved in ASA. We have been awarded seats in the ASA Resident Component House of Delegates, which will be filled by medical student members when ASA meets for its Annual Meeting this October in Las Vegas, Nevada. This meeting will be an unprecedented opportunity for medical students to observe and learn more about how ASA is governed and presents us with the honor and the opportunity of participating in the shaping of anesthesiology’s future.

The ASA Medical Student Delegation would provide a forum for us to explore the specialty and become involved in local anesthesiology-related groups and activities, formal rotations and a national organization. In addition it will provide a source of information and resources regarding clerkship opportunities, residencies, service projects and research to interested students. We hope to establish an educational relationship with ASA delegates, learn about the legislative process and begin a line of communication between current anesthesiologists and the anesthesiologists of the future so that we can learn from their experience and possibly provide them with fresh ideas and viewpoints. We can best do this if we have a coordinated effort from medical students across the nation. The ASA Medical Student Delegation will give us a voice in the field of anesthesiology that will enable us to advocate for our own needs.

In the future, we hope to grow as a group and gain the support of many Medical Student Delegation members. With sufficient interest and participation, we will be able to organize ourselves, communicate with one another and nominate and elect our own representatives. Our ultimate goal is to become a participating section of ASA. How will we do this? We will begin with a membership list and an e-mail newsletter to correspond with one another. We are currently working on a Web site where interested medical students can access more information and sign up for the Medical Student Delegation <www.urmcaig.org>.

By now you might be asking, “What can I do to help?” Well, get involved! You can start by becoming a medical student member of ASA, if you are not one already, or encouraging a medical student to join. You can find the application at <www.ASAhq.org/studentapp.pdf>. The cost is nominal, and medical students will receive many membership benefits, including a free subscription to the specialty’s most circulated peer-reviewed journal, Anesthesiology.

Once you have done that, we would love to hear from you. We need as many interested medical students as possible so that we can move things forward. If you are interested in becoming involved in the Medical Student Delegation or wish to be a member or know someone who does, please contact us at <aiginfo@urmc.rochester.edu>. We will keep you updated on developments as the Medical Student Delegation grows and expands.

Finally we would like to encourage any interested medical students to attend the ASA Annual Meeting in Las Vegas on October 23-27. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the specialty and to meet people who know what it is like to be an anesthesiologist. We also would like to extend an invitation to all medical students in attendance at the meeting to join us at the University of Rochester Reception on Sunday evening, October 24, for an informal first gathering.

[Medical student membership in ASA, which costs $10, allows you access to an array of educational and informational events at the ASA Annual Meeting.]

We hope you will join us in being involved in this amazing opportunity for medical students. Let us take full advantage of it to ensure our place in the future of anesthesiology. We hope to hear from you soon and to see you in Vegas!

Please send any topic ideas, sample articles or questions to the editors of “Residents’ Review” at <residents.review@ ASAhq.org>.

Emmett Whitaker is in his third year of medical school at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.

Cheri A. Camacho is in her third year of medical school at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.